Agenda item

The Cabinet Member(s) will update the Panel on any relevant issues. Panel members may ask questions on the update provided.

Councillor Alison Born, Cabinet Member for Adult Services addressed the Panel. She said that it was the Liberal Democrat administration’s view that the Community-based Care contract should be provided by NHS service providers.

She stated that this follows on from a lack of trust when Virgin Care was sold to a private equity company in 2021 without the knowledge of local commissioners and said that this led to the Council decision to not extend the HCRG contract for Health & Care and to bring local Adult Social Care services back in house from HCRG in April 2024.

She said that whilst the award of the contract to HCRG was disappointing it was accepted that it was an outcome of a robust procurement exercise and hoped that they would work across the BSW area to develop accessible, effective and high quality services for our residents.

Councillor Born highlighted the following areas from her update report.

Englishcombe Lane Development

Planning permission has now been granted for the development of 16 new homes for people with complex learning disabilities and autism.

Royal Victoria Park café and leisure facilities

Following a recent procurement exercise by B&NES Council the current operator of the tennis and golf facilities, Excel Tennis Ltd, was awarded a contract to run both the café and the leisure activities for the next 20 years. It has already invested over £250K in refurbishment of the pavilion and café area - Treetops.

Budget Pressures

There are in-year pressures on adult social care budgets, primarily in the areas of learning disabilities and older people. These are being managed and Adult Social Care is currently predicting a break-even position at year end.

Drugs and alcohol

The B&NES Drug and Alcohol Partnership submitted a Synthetic Opioids Preparedness Plan to the national Joint Combating Drugs Unit as part of a national approach to tackle the risks from drugs like fentanyl or nitazines.

Black History Month

B&NES worked alongside AWP to arrange and host an event for Black History Month. Pauline Spence-McCalla, B&NES employed admin in the older adults mental health team was key in putting the interactive and fun agenda together.

Councillor Liz Hardman asked how the information relating to Drugs and Alcohol was being delivered to young people.

Councillor Hardman asked what impact the Food Access Toolkit has had so far.

The Director of Public Health replied that the toolkit has been developed by the University of Bath and was a board game designed around case studies from people who have experienced food insecurity and was seen as a good way to promote discussion as to how people could be supported. She added that it was in its early stages and therefore slightly to early to give an indication of its impact.

Responding to the issue of Drugs and Alcohol she said that Project 28 do carry out some work within schools, but that it was a difficult balance to find between informing them of the risks and sharing awareness in relation to Synthetic Opioids.

Councillor Hardman asked if the list of Warm Places for residents within B&NES needed to be reassessed ahead of this coming winter.

The Director of Adult Social Care replied that the list is looked at every year and want to continue to offer these warm spaces to those who need them.

Kate Morton added that the 3^rd Sector are working with the Council on providing areas that they have access to.

Councillor Hardman said that she would welcome further feedback on this issue.

Councillor Joanna Wright said that she would challenge the approach to Drugs and Alcohol awareness from the Director of Public Health and said all young people should be alerted to the real danger of Synthetic Opioids and we must keep them safe.

The Director of Public Health replied that all Combatting Drug Use Partnerships had recently submitted their plans to the National Combatting Drugs Unit on preventing / monitoring the use of Synthetic Opioids and that this could be shared with the Panel as a future agenda item.

The Chair said that she welcomed this offer to the Panel.

Councillor Lesley Mansell said that the information shared in the update is welcome, but would like to see more information regarding outcomes / progress that these initiatives are having, especially the Food Access Toolkit.

The Director of Public Health replied that feedback on the impact of this project could be given in around 12 months’ time.

The Chair, on behalf of the Panel, thanked Councillor Born for her update.